#LoveDoesTheUnexpected Opportunity Fund Supports Panther Pride

Posted by Greg Holmes, Communications Pastor, on Feb 18, 2020

#LoveDoesTheUnexpected Opportunity Fund Supports Panther Pride

Last fall, Chase Oaks Church challenged everyone to think big about creative ways to show others how #LoveDoesTheUnexpected. After receiving some incredible ideas of how to love our community, a few were picked, and people received grants to make them happen.

After Chase Oaker Carmen Archibeque heard about Panther Pride, Plano East Senior High’s official Special Olympics Basketball Team, through social media, she decided to apply for a grant to make a difference in the lives of the players and coaches.

Check out how the #LoveDoesTheUnexpected Opportunity Fund supports Panther Pride in an unexpected way.

Video Transcription

Well, I found out about the Panther Pride Special Olympics Basketball Team because their coach put on Facebook that he was trying to generate funds to cover some of the costs to run the program. They fund it themselves, the coaches and the parents. I wanted just to be able to help out in some small way.

I started attending the games with my kids, and it’s just so cool because you hear so much about all the bad and negative stuff about teenagers. And yet, you go to the games and you watch, and they just have so much fun. They’re kind, and they help each other out. It’s just so cool to see that in person.

I wish that would get more attention because there’s so much good in the world, and these kids are awesome players. They take the game of basketball seriously, and they’re just so excited to be part of a team. And you can see that.

I got that call that I got the grant, and I was super happy that we were able to help this team. So, in talking with the coach, he specified there was always a need for basketball shoes. Some of the kids don’t play with basketball shoes per say. It was really cool; that was the biggest need.

And so, we were able to give them 20 pairs of shoes to play with. And it was just so neat to be able to present it to them and trying to explain that Love Does The Unexpected and to just pass it along and pay it forward. And so, it’s exciting to see that.

Thank you!


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